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Photographic 

Sciences 

Corporation 


%i  WIST  MAIN  ST'TEiT 

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CIHM/ICMH 

Microfiche 

Series. 


CIHIVI/ICIVIH 
Collection  de 
microfiches. 


Canadian  Institute  for  Historical  Microreproductions  /  Institut  Canadian  de  microreproductions  historiques 


Technical  and  Bibliographic  Notes/Notes  techniques  et  bibliographiques 


The  Institute  has  attempted  to  obtain  the  best 
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D 


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I      I    Covers  damaged/ 


D 


Couverture  endommagde 

Covers  restored  and/or  laminated/ 
Couverture  restaur^e  et/ou  pelticul6e 


I      I    Cover  title  missing/ 


Le  titre  de  couverture  manque 


I      I    Coloured  maps/ 


D 


Cartes  g^ographiques  en  couleur 

Coloured  ink  (i.e.  other  than  blue  or  black)/ 
Encre  de  couleur  (i.e.  autre  que  bleue  ou  noire) 


I      I    Coloured  plates  and/or  illustrations/ 


D 


D 


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Bound  with  other  material/ 
Reli6  avec  d'autres  documents 

Tight  binding  may  cause  shadows  or  distortion 
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This  item  is  filmed  at  the  reduction  ratio  checked  below/ 

Ce  document  est  film6  au  taux  de  reduction  indiquA  ci-dessous. 


T» 
to 


T» 

P( 
of 

fil 


Oi 
bf 
th 
sii 
ot 
fir 
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10X 

14X 

18X 

22X 

26X 

aox 

7 

12X 

16X 

20X 

24X 

28X 

32X 

Th«  copy  filmed  h«r«  hat  b—n  r«produc«d  thank* 
to  tha  ganarosity  of: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Tha  imagat  appearing  hara  ara  tha  baat  quality 
posaibia  conaidaring  tha  condition  and  lagibility 
of  tha  original  copy  and  in  kaaping  with  tha 
filming  contract  apacif icationt. 


L'axamplaira  film*  f ut  raproduit  grica  i  la 
gAnAroaitA  da: 

Library  Division 

Provincial  Archives  of  British  Columbia 

Laa  imagaa  auivantaa  ont  AtA  raproduitas  avac  la 
plua  grand  aoin,  compta  tanu  da  la  condition  at 
da  la  nattat*  da  l'axamplaira  film*,  at  an 
conformity  avac  laa  condition*  du  contrat  da 
filmaga. 


Original  copias  in  printc^i  papar  covar*  a>a  filmad 
beginning  with  tha  front  covar  and  ending  on 
the  iaat  page  with  a  printed  or  illuatratad  imprea- 
tion.  or  the  back  cover  when  appropriate.  All 
other  original  copies  ere  filmed  beginning  on  the 
first  page  with  a  printed  or  illustrated  impres- 
sion, and  ending  on  the  last  page  with  a  printed 
or  illustrated  impression. 


The  last  lecorded  frame  on  each  microfiche 
shall  contain  the  symbol  — ^  (meaning  "CON- 
TINUED"), or  the  symbol  V  (meaning  "END"), 
whichever  applies. 


Lea  exemplaires  originaux  dont  la  couverture  en 
papier  eat  imprimAe  sont  filmAs  en  commenpant 
par  la  premier  plat  at  an  terminant  soit  par  la 
darnlAre  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration.  soit  par  la  second 
plat,  salon  la  cas.  Tous  las  autres  exemplaires 
originaux  sont  filmAs  en  commen^ant  par  la 
premiere  page  qui  comporte  une  empreinte 
d'impression  ou  d'illustration  at  en  terminant  par 
la  darniAre  page  qui  comporte  une  telle 
empreinte. 

Un  des  symboles  suivants  apparaitra  sur  la 
darnlAre  image  de  cheque  microfiche,  selon  le 
cas:  le  symbols  -^  signifie  "A  SUIVRE",  le 
symbols  V  signifie  "FIN  ". 


Maps,  plates,  charts,  etc..  may  be  filmed  at 
different  reduction  ratios.  Those  too  large  to  be 
entirely  included  in  one  exposure  are  filmed 
beginning  in  the  upper  left  hand  corner,  left  to 
right  and  top  to  bottom,  as  many  frames  as 
required.  The  following  diagrams  illustrate  the 
method: 


Les  cartes,  planches,  tableaux,  etc..  peuvent  Atre 
filmAs  A  des  taux  de  rAduction  diff Arents. 
Lorsque  le  document  est  trop  grand  pour  Atre 
reproduit  en  un  seul  clichA.  il  est  filmA  A  psrtir 
de  Tangle  supArieur  gauche,  de  geuche  A  droite. 
et  de  haut  en  bes.  en  prenant  le  nombre 
d'images  nAcessaire.  Les  disgrammes  suivants 
illustrent  la  mAthode. 


1 

2 

3 

32X 


1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

)jp 


eytoxthwest 
C^Uectiorv 


HON 


;       IN  T 

I    . 


SPEECH 


Of 


HON.  JOSEPH  LANE,  OF  OREGON, 


ON  THE 


SUPPRESSION  OF  INDIAN  HOSTILITIES  IN  OREGON; 


DELIVERED 


;       IN  THE   HOUSE   OF   REPRESENTATIVES,   APRIL  2,   185C 


WASHINGTON: 
PRINTED  AT  THE  CONGRESSIONAL  GLOBE  OFFICE* 

1856. 


•*■ 


trvp 

U  U  (p'  ^ 


m 


On  motioi 
appropriatio 
TCaceabledii 
Paciiic,  and 

The  bill, ' 
to  appropria 
Wider  the  di 
8lates,  for  r( 
abledisposit 
(^ld  also  the 
gunpowder  I 
,^^ After  8om 
^Mr.  LAN 

I  am  very 
gentleman  ft 
ing  my  atten 
just  read;  ai 
ttinity  to  vln 
Oregon.  An 
i  "Mti  have  a 
able  to  satisf] 
tlie  people  ol 
blame  forth( 
in  progress  in 
since  list  Oct 
a  jGroTernor ' 
year  1845. 
sensible,  and 
wiiich  the  se 
ritory,  he  hi 
tide  of  peace; 
safety  to  the 
fiunilies  in  th 
The  people 
lAff -abiding, 
l^antpeople 
rliecame  acq 
'n^  the  mos 


INDIAN  HOSTILITIES  IN  OREGON. 


On  motion  by  Mr.  Campbell,  the  bill  making 
appropriations  for  restoring:  and  maintaining  the 

geaceable  disposition  of  the  Indian  tribes  upon  the 
bcific,  and  for  other  purposes,  was  taken  up. 

The  bill,  which  was  rend  in  extenso,  proposed 
to  appropriate  the  sum  of  $300,000,  to  be  expended 
iridcr  the  direction  of  the  Presidentof  the  U»!ited 
Skates,  for  restoring  and  mail,  'ining  the  peace- 
able disposition  of  the  Indian  tm  s  on  the  Pacific; 
tiftd  also  the  sum  of  $120,000  for  le  purchase  of 
gunpowder  for  the  Pacific  coast. 
1' After  some  remarks  by  Mr.  Ready  and  others, 
''Mr.  LANE  said: 

I  am  very  much  obliged,  Mr.  Chairman,  to  the 
gf  ntleman  from  Tennessee  [Mr.  Ready]  for  call- 
ing my  attention  to  the  paragraphs  which  he  has 
just  read ;  and  I  am  very  glad  to  have  the  oppor- 
tunity to  vindicate  the  character  of  the  people  of 
Oregon.  And,  sir,  when  the  time  shall  arrive  that 
r  tsXn  have  a  full  opportunity  to  do  so,  I  shall  be 
aiale  to  satisfy  every  gentlernan  upon  this  floor  that 
the  people  of  Oregon  Territory  are  in  no  way  to 
blame  for  the  war  with  the  Indians,  which  is  now 
in  progress  in  Oregon ,  and  which  has  been  going  on 
since  list  October.  We  have ,  sir,  in  that  Territory 
a  Governor  who  has  lived  in  Oregon  since  the 
year  1845.  He  is  a  peaceable,  quiet,  orderly, 
sensible,  and  practical  man,  and  in  all  the  troubles 
vdiich  the  settlers  have  had  in  settling  that  Ter- 
ritory, he  has  uniformly  been  found  upon  the 
tide  of  peace,  whenever  peace  could  be  had  with 
safety  to  the  people  and  security  to  the  lives  of 
fiunilies  in  that  Territory. 

The  people  of  Oregon  Territory  are  a  peaceable, 
:a]f -abiding,  orderly  people;  and  they  ore  also  a 
'i^ant people.  They  have  taken  pains  ever  since 
f^came  acquainted  with  the  country,  to  culti- 
the  most  friendly  feeling  with  the  Indians. 


They  lived  in  the  same  valloys  and  districts  of 
country  with  the  Indians,  and  they  were  anxious 
to  do  all  they  could  to  maintain  friendly  rela- 
tions with  them;  for  we  had  among  our  earlier 
settlers  many  missionaries,  who  had  ccn  sent 
there  for  the  purpose  of  civilizing  and  Christian- 
izing the  Indians,  and  of  teaching  them  the  arts 
of  civilization,  and  the  habits  and  customs  of  men 
in  a  higher  and  improved  social  position,  as  far 
as  the  dispositions  and  habitudes  of  the  abori- 
ginal tribes  admit  of  their  elevation  to  the  social 
and  moral  attainments  of  the  European  races. 

To  this  end  many  devoted  men  labored  with 
an  assiduity  and  a  zeal  which  attested  the  sin- 
cerity and  earnestness  of  their  desire  to  reclaim 
these  untaught  children  of  nature,  and  place  them 
on  the  catalogue  of  christianized  and  enlightened 
nations.  Among  those  who  thus  labored  faith- 
fully and  unremittingly,  and  with  a  singleness 
of  purpose  and  self-sacrificing  zeal  which  com- 
manded the  admiration  and  respect  of  all  who 
observed  his  devoted  and  untiring  labors,  was 
the  Rev.  Marcus  Whitman.  Never,  in  my  opin- 
ion, did  missionary  go  forth  to  the  field  of  his 
labors  animated  by  a  nobler  purpose  or  devote 
himself  to  his  task  wiih  more  earnestiicss  and 
sincerity  than  this  meek  and  Christian  man.  He 
arrived  in  Oregon  in  1842,  and  established  his 
mission  in  the  Wylatpee  country,  east  of  the 
Cascade  mountains,  and  devoted  his  entire  time 
to  the  education  and  improvement  of  the  Indians, 
teaching  them  the  arts  of  civilization,  the  mode 
of  cultivating  the  soil,  to  plant,  co  sow,  to  reap, 
and  to  do  all  the  duties  which  pertain  to  civilized 
man.  He  erected  mills,  plowed  tlieir  ground, 
sowed  their  crops,  and  assisted  in  gathering  in 


ibl 


.? 


4 


I 


tlicir  harvests.  About  the  time  lie  hud  Bucr.ocded 
ill  teaching  tliotn  some  of  these  arts,  and  the 
moans  of  using  some  of  tlicse  advantages,  they 
rose  nj^iiinst  him,  without  rause  and  without 
notice,  and  massar  red  liim  and  his  wife,  and  many 
others  who  were  at  tin;  mission  at  the  time. 

I  nil  niion  tl.(>se  things,  Mr.  Chairman,  to  give 
you  an  idea  of  tlie  treaelierous  and  ungrateful 
cliaiaeler  of  tlie  Indians  in  Oregon,  Tlio  blood 
of  Whitman,  their  grcat(\st  benefactor,  was  the 
first  blood  of  ilii'  white's  which  was  shed  by  them 
in  thai  Territory,  and  from  that  day  to  the  pres- 
ent, they  have  commenced  all  the  wars  wliich 
have  taken  place  between  them  and  the  white 
Betllers.  This  I  say  in  justice  to  the  people  of 
that  Territory,  and  to  vindicate  them  from  what  1 
consider  unfounded  and  unjust  imputations  upon 
their  courage  and  honor.  I  regret  very  much, 
sir,  that  it  is  necessary,  in  dufensi;  of  truth  and 
justice,  to  place  myself  in  opposition  to  the  reports 
of  General  Wool.  He  is  my  old  commander.  I 
know  him  to  be  a  good  soldier,  a  gallant  man, 
and  an  accomplished  officer,  But  I  know,  as  far 
as  the  reports  are  concerned  relating  to  Oregon 
Territory,  that  he  is  mistaken,  and  that  the  re- 
ports are  not  true.  The  war  was  commenced  in 
Oregon,  as  I  stated  the  other  day, by  the  Indians 
on  the  white  people.  It  was  not  instigated  by 
any  act  of  tlie  whites — no'  induced  by  any  vio- 
lence on  the  part  of  citizens  of  that  Territo; 
As  I  then  stated,  the  Indians  commenced  the 
slaughter  of  the  white  people,  from  the  southern 
portion  of  Oregon  to  the  northern  extreme  of 
Washington,  at  the  very  same  time,  the  same 
week  of  the  same  month,  the  8th,  9th,  and  10th 
days  of  October, 

In  confirmation  of  this  statement,  J  will  read 
the  following  extract  from  the  letter  of  Captain 
Hewitt,  dated  November,  1855: 

"  After  two  days  linrd  worK,  we  rciicheil  the  house  of  Mr. 
Cox,  which  wo  roimd  robbed.  Wo  thou  procooded  to  Mr. 
Jones's,  llislionsn  was  burned  to  aslion,  nud  Mr.  Jones,  who 
WHS  iiick  at  the  thiie,  was  Imriied  in  it.  Mrs.  Jonca  was  found 
about  thirty  yards  from  tlie  house,  sliot  througit  the  lungs, 
faee  anJjiivvs  horribly  broken  and  inutiliitcd.  The  bones  of 
Mr.  JoiK's  were  found,  the  flesh  having  been  mostly  eaten 
off  by  the  hogs.  We  found  Cooper,  who  had  been  living  with 
Jones,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  from  the  liouse, 
ghot  through  the  lungs,  the  ball  having  entered  his  left  breast. 
Proceeded  to  the  house  of  W.  H.  Brown.  Mrs.  Bmwn  and 
cliild  were  found  in  the  well,  her  head  downwards ;  she  had 
lioen  stabbed  to  the  heart ;  also  stabbed  in  the  back  and  the 
back  part  of  the  head.  The  child  was  below  her,  and  had 
no  murks  of  violence  upon  it.  Mr.  Brown  was  found  in  the 
house,  literally  cut  to  pieces.  His  arms  and  legs  were  badly 
out,  and  I  should  think  there  were  as  luany  as  ten  or  fifteen 
stabs  ill  liis  back.    After  burying  the  remains  of  the  bodies 


as  \/ell  as  cireuuistanees  would  p'^rmit,  we  proceeded  totlitjint  not  a  V 
house  of  Mr.  King,  which  we  fouu'l  liuriicrl  to  ashes,  aii  ujj.  .j.-ynrrf. 
tli(!  iiio~t  horrible  spiTtaele  (if  iill  awaiti'd  us— Mr.  Joni  ■         "       "  ' 
who  had  lived  with  him, .•mil  two  litllo  eliildri'n,  wen;  biirm       When  tPi 
in  the  house;  the  l)o  ly  of  Mr.  Kln:».  aftor  hrire.' roasted,  wiiJtiidwn,  the 
e.uen  almost  eiuiri'ly  U|)  by  llii'  hoifs.     Mrs.  King  vv.is  'Viiim-j,  .    ,,,^,,,. 
nt"-ut  thirty  yanl-i  from  tl'f  luiiise  almost  ill  a  state  of  nuil         .'      _ 
ty,  shot  apparem'.y  fi.r,,ugh  tin-  heart,  and  lior  Ictt  hrousici.Major  Hall 
otf;  she  was  cut  open  from  the  pit  of  the  stoniach  to  aboiajid  chastise 
tiie  center  of  the  Hbdomen;  inte.;Iiiies  pulled  out  on  cilli'  (,*[,, .^^       l„ 
side.    Wf  p'Tlonnn;  tiic  l;ist  sad  rites  over  the  sl'iin,  an 
returned  to  our  camp."  proceeded  t 

Now,  sir,  but  a  few  days  before  these  massr  °y  ^'"•'"^'•'*" 
cres  were  perpetrated  here,  on  or  near  Pugi'l*  i-'Sjiera  e 
Sound,  hostilities  had  commenced  in  souther  ^^  uurati 
Oregon,morothansix  hundred  milesdi^tant,  Cn '^°"""'''"'^- 
General  Woolorany  other  sensible  man,  prctcn  aostiltlies, 
to  sny  that  killing  ofl'  Indians  on  Rogue  river  wa  'orces,  wiio 
the  cause  of  the.se  murderous  outrages.'  gallantry  of 

I  will  present  anotiicr  extract  of  a  letter  fror^f   countrj 

Rogue  river  valley,  a  few  days  before  this  inassa  "*'""  > '"  •''  ''^ 

ere' occurred:  ^^'  Wasliin 

„  M,.  ....  .,■..,      Colonel  D 

"  1  he  greater  portion  of  the  enemy  have  taken  to  tl^ 

mountains,  and  carried  with  them  a  large  amount  of  ptn^  been  driven 

and  other  property.    Thirty  p'Tsons  have  been  murdered  !  eecded  in  be 

them  between  J(!Wett's  ferry,  on  l?ogue  river,  and  Turner  A^„^  l„,I,i|](l 

on  Cow  creek.  It  is  now  ascertained  that  Haynen's  fami!  T       _ 

have  also  been  massacred."  jot>  Ternto) 

Now,  to  show  you  that  General  Wool  is  mii  ^^  '^'"^  ^''^^' 
taken,  tliat  his  judgment  has  been  hastily  formt  ^  pu"ish  th 
and  upon  erroneous  and  false  data — perhaps  tl.  *"  " 

willful  misrepresentations  of  others,  who  thoug!  ^  ^^  lorct 
by  traduction  of  our  people  to  subserve  their  ow  ^^  overn 
interests,  or  at  least  to  gratify  their  passions-  •  ^_^  ^'  ^ 
I  ask  your  attention  to  the  maps  which  I  ha,  O**^''''^''^'')';'' 
caused  to  be  placed  in  view  of  the  members  (  ■^'^'■'^'"''l  '" 
the  House,  and  upon  which  they  can  observe  th  °"  thatoccaf 
relative  position  and  distances  of  the  sever:  *  S'^'"' 
localities  which  form  the  seat,  or  more  proper!  ™        stron 


speaking,  the  seats  of  war.     On  the  cast  of  tl 


Now,  Mr 


Cascade  mountains,  which  you. observe  runnin  "'"''^''■»  '■''■^  * 


Ind 


laiis  and 


1 


parallel  with  the  coast,  at  an  average  distance 
one  hundred  miles,  is  the  region  or  district  callt  •""'^  '■'^  '"*• 
the  "  Yakima  country,"    In  this  country,  bcfor 'l''^'"y>  '"   ' 
hostilities  had  commenced  in  the  shape  of  regul;  country, 
warfare,  the  Indians  killed  Mr,  Matticc,a  gent!  P^^st,   has 
man  who  was  traveling  through    the  countr  "^^  within 
The  agent,  Mr.  Bolan,  hearing  of  the  outrag  ipcnthaso 
went  into  the  country  to  ascertain  the  facts,  ai  wns,  into  ' 
if  possible  bring  the  perpetrators  to  justice  ar  Wl'^"  Gr'" 
prevent  further  disturbances.  Although  an  ageii  tpry  he  foui 
personally  known  to  them,  and  from  whom  tin  Bg^i'ist  the 
had  received  the  bounties  of  the  Govemjiier  geni^li-'men  a 
he  was  barbarously  murdered;  and  to  give  ti  Bptm  read,  v 
strongest  possible  manifestation  of  their  hostili  Rc'i'led  at 
ai.a  exasperation  against  the  whites,  they  mm  ffniihes  sea 
a  funeral  pile  of  himself  and  horse,  detcrmin  ***  "''^  attac. 


\ 


5 


have  taken  to  tl 

a 


e  prorondfMl  to  til  that  not  a  vnstigo  should  remain  to  tell  the  tale  of 

";''  "•  l^r'"7""' his  sava-e  and  inhuman  murder. 
i(l  IIS — Mr.  jiiiir-  '' 

ilrcn,w<'r(!l)iiriii  Wlicii  tl>e  fart  of  tin-  death  of  Bolan  was  made 
l)i'iti'.'ro!ist(Ml,\v;i known,  the  regular  forces  at  t'ort  Vam'.ouver  were 
rs.  Knmwiislyin^jjj,.,.  ,.„„„rt„„j  of  Major  Rains,  who  ordered 
HI  n  Ktitte  ol  mid  _,.,,,,  ,  ,       w    ,. 

i  her  left  hrrastn  Major  Haller  to  proceed  to  the  Indian  country 

I  stiini;i(li  to  Jihoiand  chastise  them  for  the  murder  of  Bolan  and 

'"''' '""  ""  '■'""  others.     In  obedience   to  the  orders  received,  he 

iver  the  hI'ihi,  nn  , 

proceeded  to  the  enemy  s  country,  was  attacked 

'  these  mass- '^y  iheni,  surrounded,  and  narrowly  escaped  after 
r  near  Pu"il'* '^'-'^l"''"''"  "'"^  most  gallant  defense  of  several 
pd  in  ^out?ier  ^*y^  duration,  with  the  loss  of  one  fifth  of  his 
■sdi'tant  (<^  command.  Here  was  the  first  commencement  of 
e  man  pretcn  hostilities,  not  by  volunteers,  but  by  regular 
go.y,,  j.jy„,.  ^.,i  forces,  wiio  were  defeated,  notwithstanding  the' 
,jj„pg  >  gallantry  of  their  commander,  and  driven  from 

)f  a  letter  fror^''   country.     Tiiis   country,  you  will  bear  in 
"ore  this  massa  *'™'"'^  >  '''•'^  '""^^^  '^^  ^'i'^  Cascade'  mountains,  and  on 
the  Washington  side  of  the  Columbia  river. 
Colonel  Rains,  when  he  found  that  Haller  had 
amount  of  ftn.  been  driven  out  of  the  country,  and  had  only  suc- 
Ijcen  iMiirdnred!  ceeded  in  bearing  away  his  wounded,  leaving  his 
iver  and  Turner  i^  UAnnil  him,  called  on  the  Governor  of  Ore- 
it  Havneii's  fnmii  T       „      .  ^  ,  t  h  ,. 
gon  Territory  for  volunteers.     It  was  a  call  for 

d  Wool  is  mi'  ^^  '^'"^  assistance  to  suppress  Indiati  hostilities, 

1  haatiiv  fornif  ***  P""'^''  ^'^^  Indians;  first,  for  killing  our  people 

ta— perhaps  ll  '^"'^  ^**'^"  ^"'"  'living  his  gallant  major  and  his 

•s  who  thou"'  Vhole  force  out  of  the  country.     To  that  cull 

iscrve  their  ow  *^*^  Governor   of  Oregon   promptly  responded. 

licir  nassionn  ^^  called  for  volunteers.     They  turned  out  im- 

8  which  I  hav  ni*cdiately;and  having  joined  with  the  troops  they 

members     "^'irched  into  the  Indian  country.     The  Indians 

can  observe  li  °"  that  occasion  avoided  the  fight.     Tliey  avoided 

of   the   sever  *  ^'^"^•'''^1   l)attle.     The  force  against   them  was 

«,«-,.  ^_^.,„j  rather  strong. 
more  properl    ,  o 

the  east  of  tl       ^'ow,  Mr.   Chairman,  the  position   of  Major 
ibserve  runnin  H'i"^'''»  'i'  ^''c  time  he  was  surrounded   by  the 
age  distance  r  I'l^huis  and  iiadly  whipped,  was  on  the  northern  i 
»r  district  calk  •*'^*^  of  the  Coiuiubia  river,  in  Washington  Ter- 1 
country  bcfor  !fltcry,  in    the   country   known  as   the   Yakima  I 
ihape  of  roffui:  country.     This  country,  till  within  a  iew  years  , 
[atticc  a  ffent!  past,   has    not   be'en   settled    by   white   people;: 
1    the  countr  ^^^  within  the  last  few  years  the  white  settle- j 
of  the  outra"'  Bfcnt  has  extended  cast  of  these  Cascade  mount- 
1  the  facts  ai;  W^s,  into  Washington  and  Oregon  Territories.  ' 
r  to  justice  ar  "W^hen  General  Wool  arrived  in  Oregon  Terri-  j 
loueh  an  ageii  ^^Y  ''^  found  the  volunteers  up  in  that  country, 
om  whom  thi  against  the  warlike  Indians.      Now,  I  will  ask  ■ 
e  GoTemiiiet  gentlemen  and  the  writer  of  that  letter  wliich  has 
ind  to  give  ti  ^^^  read,  whetlu'r  the  troojjs  ought  to  have  been 
f  their  hostili'  IPcalled  at  once  from  that  country,  leaving  many 
itcs   they  miv  %Kiilies  scattered  about  on  their  claims,  exposed 
rsc  detcrmii>  *®  '■'^^  attacks  of  Indians  who  had  driven  the  rcgu* 


lar  forces  out  of  the  country  ?  If  they  had,  what 
would  Jiave  been  the  condition  of  these  people? 
Would  there  havt;  been  one  single  family  left  i.:i 
that  country?  Would  there  have  been  one  woman 
that  would  not  have  been  burned  nt  the  stake,  or 
one  child  that  would  not  have  been  tomaliawki'd  ? 
General  Wool,  when  ho  arrived  took  up  his 
hetulquarters  west  of  the  Cascade  mountains,  ni\ 
the  north  bank  of  the  Columbia  river,  at  Fort 
Vancouver,  [pointing  out  the  location  on  the  mn  n.  ] 
He  ordered  the  regular  forces  that  were  engaged 
in  the  Indian  country  to  fall  back  on  Fort  Van- 
couver. The  volunteers  did  not  go  up  tli're  of 
their  own  a'cord.  They  went  out  at  the  call  of 
an  officer  o:  the  United  States  Army.  If  they 
had  left  the  country  with  the  regular  forcts  they 
would  have  exposed  the  life  of  every  woman  and 
child  there  to  certain  death.  Ought  ihey  to  have 
done  so?  Will  any  man  say  to  the  people  of 
Oregon  that  these  volunteers  should  have  fallen 
back  upon  the  settlements,  or  gone  into  quarters 
and  put  themselves  undercover,  leaving  the  wo- 
men and  children  of  the  country  to  fall  under  the 
tomahawk  of  the  savage?  No,  sir.  It  is  a  slan- 
der when  it  is  said  that  the  volunteers  of  Oregon 
went  there  with  a  view  of  making  war  upon  any 
other  Indians  than  such  as  murdered  our  peopl'-, 
and  as  were  ready  to  bury  the  tomahawk  in  the 
heads  of  women  and  children. 

What  would  have  been  said  of  the  Governor 
of  Oregon,  if  he  had  acted  as  General  Wool  did, 
and  ordered  the  volunteers  out  of  the  country, 
leaving  it  exposed  to  the  savages?    So  far  from 
doing  it,   he   maintained  his  position.      Those 
troops  were  commanded  by  a  noble  and  g.il!;int 
young  man,  by  the  name  of  Kelly,  who  went 
out  to  that  Territiny  a  few  years  ago  from  ihe 
State  of  Pennsylvania.     He  is  known  to  some 
of  the  members  of  this  House.     He  is  a  brave 
and  gallant  man,  a  lawyer  by  profession,  and  a 
peaceable,  law-abiding  citizen.  He  took  the  cum- 
inand  of  these  forces  in  the  i)lane  of  my  £:;illant 
friend  Nesmith,  who  was  compelled  to  quit  the 
service  on  account  of  sickness  in  his  family.  Soon 
after  his  taking  the  command,  the  Walla- Wallas, 
Yacomas,and  other  tribes  of  Indians  througluiut 
the  whole  extent  of  country  east  of  the  Cascades 
made  a  general  attack  upon  his  command.  And 
sir,  while  fighting  for  life,  when  his  ammunition 
had  been  expended,  when  he  had  fired  his  last 
volley,  with  ammunition  almost  exhausted,  and 
scant  of  provisions — for  he  was  for  four  days  sur- 
rounded with  these  hostile  Indians — I  say  while 


9 


! 


tliUH  fi^litiiig  for  life,  undiT  tlicsc  circumstanocB, 
tl.t!  ii.'iLjiilar  lr()o|).s,  undur  the  orders  of  GoncrnI 
VV'oi>l,  wi-To  inr\rcliin^  to  tluir  winter  qu(irl(  rs. 
Am],  lis  I  iUii  iiiforniid,  win  ii  Kelly  ixppliid  for 
piiwjer  iiiid  oilier  supplies,  that  olficer  shut  his 
r.iiijjiizines  and  refused  the  supiilies. 

Ps  ow ,  sir,  shall  this  man  be  quohid  here  aj^ainst 
the  pe()|ile  of  Ore^wn  Ti.Tritury  ?  Shall  his  evi- 
dence be  used  in  condemnation  of  th(;  people  of 
tiiut  Territory,  who  volunteered  to  save  the  wo- 
men and  ehiklren  of  the  settlements  from  massacre?  r 
Shall  such  an  ary,iiment  be  introduced  here  against 
the  aj)propriatioii  now  ask(;d  for?    I  hope  not. 

Air.  ALLISON.  If  the  gentleman  will  permit 
me  for  a  moment,  I  di;iiire  to  say  a  singli^  word. 
lie  asks,  why  should  we  bring  the  evidence  of 
General  Wool  here  as  testimony  in  a  case  of  this 
kind,  under  such  circumstances?  Now,  I  am 
sure  the  genlUman  from  Oregon  will  not  object  to 
an  inquiry,  such  as  was  propounde'd  to  hiin,  for 
the  i)urpose  of  giving  him  an  opportunity  of 
making  the  explanation  which  he  is  now  making 
to  the  House.  We  find  in  our  executive  docu- 
ments here,  official  communications  from  the 
officers  of  the  Government  which  can  alone  speak 
officially  upon  the  subject.  How  is  it  possible 
that  we  can  disregard  these  comnmnications  thus 
officially  made,  unless    son"  'anation  were 

made  to  remove  the  difficultie  which  we  arc 

.surrounded,  in  making  this  a,  ^.n  ,..iation.  If  we 
are  to  take  the  statements  of  these  officers,  to  which 
alone  we  can  go  for  information,  we  cannot,  con- 
sistently, make  this  appropriation.  The  gentle- 
man from  Oregon  certainly  caimot  therefore  ob- 
ject to  such  tt  si  itement  being  made  by  a  member 
of  ihe  House,  as  it  will  afford  him  an  opportunity 
of  making  such  an  exjilanation  as  will  relieve  us 
from  the  embai'rassments  with  which  we  are  sur- 
rounded in  making  the  appropriation  which  he 
asks  for. 

Mr.  LANE.  I  am  very  much  obliged  to  the 
gentleman.  I  have  no  disposition  to  cast  imputa- 
tions upon  General  Wool.  I  think  as  much  of 
him  as  any  man  in  this  House,  but  I  do  not  like 
his  conduct  in  Oregon.  Now,  Mr.  Chairman, 
these  volunteer  forces  have  been  oj;ini?.ed  anil 
maintained  for  the  purpose  of  protecting  the  set- 
tlements in  the  Territories  of  Oregon  and  Wash- 
ington, and  nobly  have  they  done  it,  while  the 
regulars  were  comfortably  housed  in  the  snug 
barracks  at  Vancouver. 

By  the  last  mail  I  have  received  a  letter,  from 
which  I  will  read  the  following  extract: 


1 


"Will  you  plensi-  prrscnt  niir  tlmnks  to  tlie  Sccrclnry  i  *'  '^  *"^'''  ' 
V\>tr  lor  liis(liH|ri(>'li  in  rorwiinliiiitllio  Ninth  inf'niitry.  lluMTill  soon  bi 
iiiiicli  It  iri  ti)  III!  rcuri'ttcd  tliiit  hiicIi  |iroiii|itiit'HH  liiw  '"''kgf^;  nre  Iw 
ri'mii'rt'il  iniavailiii;;.    (JciuTiil  Wool  is  now  in  ("nlilnriii;'  ..^ 

mill  uoiilil  hiivf  i<i!|)t  tliiu  i-('uiiiic'iit  tlicre  liiul  he  liccii  tlicr^"'-''''''  "  ' 
when  it  iiiriviMJ.  Hfl  piisseil  thriii  lit  Hen  tliii<  siijc  of  HaJiem.  I  kn 
Fiiineififo,  mill  iimile  iiiiiivailinu  iH'ortH  to  have  the  steaim^ii  never  li 
lii'iii^iiiit  tliriii  iTliini  ti)  San  Friiiirineo.    'I'iiiH,  I   am  in  .  . ', 

forini'il  by  Mr.  H".\ir.  of  J«ck>oii  cDiiiity,  who  was  a  piiAOy  consiuei 
Hfiiijer  with  fii'iieral  Wool.    Mr.  Iloxii-  wiih  H<!iit  down  I^Jje  way 
till!  i|iiartcriiiasit'r  Ki'iicral.  and  suceecded  in  iiialiiiiK  ''whoii  he  cou 
pnrelia(i(;,a.-i  he  tells  iie',  wIiimi  (ii'iieral  Wool's iiilrrl'i'rfiic  ' 

and  iiidiH'iici' caiisi'd  till'  sellers  to  di'eliiu'  fnriiishiiin  th'^y  ^^hicll  tl 
powder,  and  Mr.  lloxiiM-aini' bacli  ciiiptyhandi'd.     Hail(uicent,   and 
not  hei'ii  for  the  Hudson "s  Hay  (.'onipaiiy,  at  Vaneouver,  «tjj:jj„__j,^(,, 
Hhoiild  have  been  uiiahle  to  piocurt;  this,  uuti  other  esHentii ,        '^    ■  , 
snppliuH."  Aerc  With 

i       ri 

This  extract  I  give  with  undoubtingconfidenc?*    *     ' 

•    .1    .     .1     i-.i      .  .  .    ••        .  ■      1         ■    about  startit 

in  the  truth  of  the  statements  it  contains,  knowing'* 

as  I  do,the  high  re.spcctabilityof  the  author,  am 

simply  from  a  desire  to  do  justice  to  till  concerned  ^        ^ 

either  American  citizens  or  British  sulijocts.  P    I      I 

My  friend  from  Tennessee,  [Mr.  Ready] — am:    '^"^ 

T  1    ri      •      .1  .     •.      r  Mference  to 

1  am  proud  of  having  the  opportunity  of  answer  ■" 

1  •    •  T  I  1  1  .  •hall  see. 

ing  his  inquiries — 1  have  always  known  to  cxer        .  , 

cise  the  soundest  judgment  upon  all  subjects  ex  ^     ''        ' 

cept  politics.    [Laughter.]    I  say,  in  reply  to  his 


incognita  to 
their  charac 


inquiries,  that  at  the  time  these  hostilities  com- 
menced in  the  north  of  Washington  Territory 
hostilities  also  broke  out  in  the  Rogue  river  val   .  " 

ley,  and  in  one  night  the  Indians  traveled  man)  ,^"'  ^       J 
miles  and  killed  every  man,  woman,  and  child ♦''^'^ 
on  the  road,  with  one  or  two  exceptions;  thcy"**'^'. 
burned  every  house  except  one;  they  killed  every  ' 

woman  except  one — Mrs.  Harris — for  whom  |  ^^^""^ 
intend  to  introduce  a  bill  granting  a  pension.  The  "*  ^    uence 
savages  surroundi^d  her  house,  killed  her  hus-  •'^''^Y  ^     ^* 
band,  and  wounded  her  daughter.    She  defended  ^     ^^°'^ 
herself  in  her  dwelling  nobly;  she   loaded  and^hcyarear 
fired  her  rifle  eighty  times,  and  made  her  escape  ?'    '  ^ 
during  the  darkness  of  the  night.    Every  man  on  *"  ^^^  ^ 
that  whole  route  was  killed  with  the  exception  of  W'^^'^'*  ^"'^  1 
Wagner,  whose  wife  and  children  were  murdered,  J^  ^'^^^^  '  ^ 
and  who  himself  fell,  on  tlie22d  of  February  last,  ^^^^'  ^'"^^  ! 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Rogue  river.    The  Indians  '^'^  ... 
had  previous  to  this  proceeded  to  TJmpqua  valley, 
and  murdered  people  within  a  few  miles  of  my 
own  house,  and  yet  General  Wool  says  there  is 
no  war  in  Oregon!    They  have   driven  off  the 
cattle  of  the  country.    Thousands  are  shot  and  ^  °  ^' 
left  to  decay  upon  the  plains.     The  last  steamer  ^      ^     ^ 
brought  us  the  news  that  the  Indians  had  attacked   ^^^^      ^  I 
tlic  settlements  of  the  white  people  at  the  mouth  of   f**"'     ^ 
Rogue  river,   and  destroyed  every  house,  and   y 
every  farm.      Every  settler — men,  women,  and   W        " 
children — was  killed,  except  one,  and  he  saved   " 
himself  by  hiding.  ^PP 


families  am 
torch  of  tl 
they  arc  a 
men  from  R 


J 


ii>  thv  arcrctnrjf  I'  's  «'i'J  'liat  tli<-  Indians  lire  fow,  and  that  they 
nth  in  flint  ry.  UowiW  soon  be  forced  into  submission.  Whether 
mm-'hrrlliif,,!-",',''^®'"'^  nro  two  hundred  or  one  thousand  of  them, 
I  IwKl  hr  licfii  tli('r3*icrnl  Wool  will  not  be  ubk'  to  hurt  one  of 
I'll  tliJH  si,|p  of  HaJiem.     I  know  them.     They  will  fight;  but  they 

" ''ti',': ''■'.' '''''''''''««^llncv-'}n>''-niit  themHclvcs  to  be  attacked  by 
1  Ills,  I   inn  II  '  ' 

}•,  who  wiis  a  piiAny  coiisiderablu  forcf .     Tlioy  will  keep  out  of 
wiiH  «..|.t  down  i-tbe  way.    The  old  General  has  passed  the  ago 
Vimr"  iiii!'ii!,"nii!''^'^'' '"'  '"'""''l  overtake  tJicsc  Indians.  The  conn- 1 
im-  furnisiiinn  th^fy  which  they  occupy  is  mountainous,  steep  of  j 
y  linndiil.    Hndatcent,  and  alfordH   tiie   best  and   most  secure, 

..nd..tlitrc..s.senii;,~'''"»f"'''.  '"   "'''   '^"''^'^-     ^'^'^  '^  ^°   ^°  ^"  i 
there  with  his  regular  forces  and  punish  these  ; 

tinfconfidcnc'''*'^"^'''^'    "^'"^  pies.s  of  San  Francisco  say  he  is 

ains  knowin"*'''*^"'^  starting  to  Oregon  for  that  purpose.   Well,  I 
tile  author  am'  ''""^  ''''^  ^^  ^'^  ^  brave  man,  and   I   most 
ottliconcernud®*'"'^^''^  ''"f"'  "^'"^^  '"''  "^^^  ^^  '^^^^  ^^  inflict  just , 
I,  suliiects        '^^  proper  punishment  upon  these  Indians,  who 

Ready! am^^"  ^°  cruelly  murdered  our  people  without 

lity  of  answer'*'''^'^^"*^''  ^"  °^^  ^"^  ^^^"'  ^^^  ^^  ^*''  ^^^  what  we 
oiown  to  exer'*''"  '"■'^• 

ill  subjects  ex  ®''"'  ^'"^  peoplc  of  Oregon  occupy  a  remote  and 
in  reply  to  hii^""  '^'^^^"''  P**"^  ^f  our  domain— a  sort  of  terra 
ostilitios  conv^"^'"'"  '*'  ^^^  people  of  the  Atlantic  States.  If 
■ton  Territory  ^^''^  '"'"^^cter  was  known  here,  as  I  know  it,  it 
ogue  river  vai  ''^*'"'*^  require  no  culogium,  much  less  a  vindica- 
traveled  many**^"' ^'  '"^  •^'^nds.  For  several  years  I  have 
nan,  and  chiJiiW^*^*^  '"  ^''*^  ""''®'  of  that  people,  and  I  know 
ceptions;  the)  *^^"*-  '  have  seen  them  under  all  the  vicissitudes 
icy  killed  everv*"^  circumstances  incident  to  this  varied  and 
3— for  whom  !  ch*=qucrcd  life— in  prosperity  and  in  adversity, 
I  pension.  The  "*  i^®^*""'"'^  ^^'^  poverty,  in  the  repose  and  se- 
:iiled  her  hus-  «»"'^y  o^  home,  in  the  din  of  battle,  where  the 

She  defended  %^^^  '"o*^*^  hottest  and  the  bullets  flew  thickest. 

le  loaded  and  They  are  an  enterprising  and  adventurous  people; 

ide  her  escape  f""  ^^^"^y  ^^'""'"^  never  have  traversed  sterile  and. 

Every  man  on  inhospitable  wastes,  scaled  lofty  mountains,  and 

10  exception  of  braved  the  perils  and  privations  of  the  wilderness 

■ere  murdered,  ^'*  search  of  homes  on  tlie  shores  of  the  Pacific. 

February  last,  That  they  are  brave  no  one  can  doubt  who  has 

The  Indians  '^^^  of  their  deeds  of  heroism  in  defending  their 

mpqua  valley.  ^*"^*hes  and  homes  from  the  tomahawk  and  the 

rniies  of  my  ***'^h  of  the  remorseless  savage.     Ay,  sir,  and 

says  there  is  ^^y  ^'"'^  *  patriotic  people.    Think  you  that  the 

hivcn  ofll"  the  »en  from  Missouri,  Illinois,  Ohio, and  Kentucky, 

are  shot  and  ^^°  ^^^^^  made  their  homes  in  Oregon,  have  been 

.  last,  steamer  ^  changed  by  distance,  that  their  hearts  have 

!  had  attacked   ^^^'^  *"  pulsate  with  patriotic  devotion  to  our 

the  mouth  of   country's  flag  and  our  country's  honor?    Believe 

■  house    and  ■H"o*^-  Thcyare  Americans  still — "notaliensand 

women    and    iptcrlopers  from  foreign  lands. "    Hearit.gentle- 

ind  he  saved   H»cn  of  the  so-called  "  American"  party,  you  who 

appose  this  appropriation,  your  countrymen — 


not  foreigners— arc  imperiled.  American  blood  is 
being  shed — ay,  sir,  and  on  our  own  iotl.  Ameri- 
cans call  on  you  for  succor.  Mountains  rise 
and  wide  deserts  intervene  between  you  and  them, 
but  they  arc  still  on  our  own  soil;  they  have  but 
changed  their  chamber  in  the  paternal  mansion; 
the  same  banner  which  waves  from  the  dome  of 
this  Capitol  spreads  its  folds  over  them.  Is  it 
an  emblem  of  protection  which  the  Government 
affords  to  all  our  people,  or  a  piece  of  painted 
bunting — a  rag  spread  to  the  winds  in  derision 
and  mockery  of  their  perils  and  their  woes.' 

One  trait  of  character  the  people  of  the  Ter- 
ritory of  Oregon  posdess  in  common  with  their 
countrymen,  but  even  this  seems  to  be  denied  to 
them  by  those  whose  occupation  appears  to  be  to 
malign  and  traduce  all  that  is  generous  and  noble 
in  a  people  or  an  individual — those  professional 
scribblers,  the  vultures  of  the  press,  who  feed 
upon  character  which  has  been  first  polluted  and 
destroyed  by  their  own  poisonous  breath,  and 
who  never  soar  except  it  be  in  an  atmosphere  of 
detraction,  like  those  birds  of  ill  omen  which  arc 
found  in  no  other  country  except  where  grows  the 
Upas.  I  allude  to  that  trait  in  the  character  of 
the  Oregonians  so  characteristic  of  the  population 
of  the  western  States — magnanimity;  the  chival- 
rous sense  of  honor,  the  pride,  blended  with  in- 
nate generosity,  which  scorns  a  mean,  a  dishon- 
orable, or  a  cowardly  action,  which  revolts  at  the 
idea  of  oppressing  or  of  being  oppressed,  which 
is  quick  to  resent  an  insult  from  an  equal  or  supe- 
rior, but  bears  with  meekness  and  patience  the 
peevishness,  the  taunts,  and  even  the  deliberate 
insults,  of  inferiors.  In  this  spirit  the  people  of 
Oregon  have  borne  with  patience  and  forbearance 
the  injuries  and  insults  of  the  inferior  race  by 
which  they  arc  surrounded.  They  have  thought 
their  mission  to  be  to  subdue  the  proud  and  in- 
tractable spirit  of  the  savage  by  kinclness,  to 
soften  his  rude  nature  by  manifesting  towards  hira 
a  friendly  and  paternal  spirit,  to  reclaim  him  from 
his  savage  condition  by  example — the  example 
of  a  life  spent  in  peaceful  industry,  instead  of  un- 
profitable and  wasting  wars  with  each  other. 

I  am  sorry  that  these  humane  eflibrts  of  the 
Oregon  settlers  have  not  been  appreciated  by  the 
savage.  Humanity  has  been  mistaken  by  him 
for  a  tame  submissiveness  of  spirit;  forbearance 
for  pusillanimity.  The  consequence  has  been, 
that,  instead  of  being  benefited  by  his  contact 
with  the  whites,  the  Indian  has  brooded  over 
what  he  has  erroneously  deemed  an  unwarrant- 


8 


I 


ubic  intruNiun  upon  hia  domain,  until  at  length  n 
goncrnl  uprising  has  taken  place  for  tho  purijosc 
of  exterminating  the  intruders,  or  driving  them 
from  the  land.  Who  that  acknov/ledges  the  right 
of  the  white  race  to  occupy  nnd  improve  the  hinds 
of  the  natives,  (and  I  know  of  no  one  who  will 
deny  it) — who  that  acknowledges  nuch  right  will 
deny  to  them  the  right  of  self-defense  wiien  as- 
sailed in  their  pioneer  hok.ics;  and  who  will  not 
go  further  than  this,  and  say  that,  where  their 
numbers  and  their  means  arc  inadequate  to  their 
defense,  itis  the  duty  of  the  Governmont  to  afl'ord 
them  protection,  and  save  them,  not  from  destruc- 
tion merely,  but  from  a  destruction  by  a  refine- 
ment of  cruelty,  an  oxquisiteness  of  torture 
known  only  in  the  annals  of  Indian  warfare? 

I  will  have  an  opportunity  of  explaining  these 
things  more  fully  at  some  future  time.  I  will  not 
consume  the  time  of  the  committi^c  now.  I  am 
prepared  to  go  into  the  subject  fully.  I  have  j 
anticipated,  I  think,  nearly  every  objection  which 
can  possibly  be  made  to  the  conduct  of  the  Ore- 
gon volunteers,  or  of  the  settlers  in  that  Territory. 
I  shall  be  prepared  to  furnish  all  the  information 
on  the  subject  which  gentlemen  may  desire.  I 
only  ask  what  is  right — nothing  more;  and,  if  I 
do  not  greatly  mistake  the  character  and  feelings 
of  the  members  of  this  House,  I  am  sure  they  will 
not  refuse  my  just  demand. 

The  purpose  of  the  appropriation  as  stated  in 
the  bill  is  "  to  restore  and  preserve  friendly  re- 
lations with  the  Indians." 

Another  object  of  the  appropriation  is  to  fur- 
nish the  means  of  ransoming  the  prisoners  who 
have  already  been  taken  by,  or  who  may  hereafter 
fall  into  the  hands  of,  the  Indians.     Already 
several  prisoners  are  in  their  hands,  men,  women,  | 
and  children,  liable  at  any  moment  to  be  put  to  a  i 
cruel  deaOh.     Perhaps  by  a  timely  appropriation  . 
of  the  kind  asked  for,  the  lives  of  these  prisoners  i 
may  be  saved.  Does  anyone  begrudge  the  appli- 
cation of  the  p\iblic  money  to  a  purpose  so  hu- 1 
mane .'    Does  any  one  dare  to  say  that  the  whole  ' 
$300,00Q  would  be  an  extravagant  price  to  pay 
for  the  ransom  of  one — only  one  of  those  help- 
less infant  captives,  whose  v/ailing  cry  is  music 
to  the  ears  of  his  cruel  captors,  drunk  with  the 
blood  of  his  slaughtered  parents.    There  went 
from  Missouri,  in  1853,  a   party  of  nineteen. 
Last  summer  I  saw,  in  Oregon,  two  boys,  the 
only  survivors  of  that  party.    Where  were  the 
others.'    They  told  me  where  they  were — they 
Lad    left  them  among  tho  mountains,  father. 


mother,  sisters — all  sluin  !     At  my  request  tluiy  ihiit  they 
undertook  to  give  me  a  narrative  of  thi;  nin.ssiiciierobyHuliji 
—  to  detail  i'.r  fiendish  barbarities  of  the  mund  to  the  tlui 
derers.     I    listened  while,  with  tho  simple  eldt  people;  of 
quence  of  truth — a  pathos  which  only  cliildnnd  inhuman 
can  impart  to  a  story  of  bereavement  and  sorrovj*  charge  it 
they  proceeded  with  the  recital  of  what  they  sn\are  made  w 
and  what  they  sufTored.  But  I  did  not  hear  thrif  dopii  ting  t 
to  the  end;  my  heart  sickened  with  the  rcvoltiiioath— honil 
details.     I  told  them  to  pause;  I  could  hear  iif  homes  and 
more.  Ah  !  sir,  could  the  members  of  this  HousJBOrt  to  no  s 
have  stood  around  those  friendless  orphans,  art  a  Christif 
they  stood  among  otrangers,  re'  iting  the   storikl  would  n< 
of  their  sufferings  and  their  wrongs,  there  woulawk  for  all 
have  been  no  occasion  for  mo  to  speak  here  to  Mr.  UOVt 
day.  They  would  have  heard  a  speech  such  aoitile  Indiai 
they  never  heard  before,  and  such  as,  I  pray  t  Mr.  LAN 
God,  I  may  never  hear  again — the  speech  not  ouestion.     It 
two  untutored,  friendless  orphans,  but  naturcay's Globe, 
sir,  nature  speaking   to   the  great  heart  of  thlMi|  number  is 
American   people,    heaving    it    up,   as  with  ay  that  it  wa 
giant's  power,  from  its  cold  apathy  into  a  bumiiftt  number 
ing  thirst  for  revenge,  a  stern  resolve  to  avengW  not  all  at 
the  wrongs  and  defend  the  rights  of  outragc(llllt  they  ar 
humanity.     An  attempt  was  made  to  punistonld  sweep  c 
the  perpetrators  of  this  outrage.    Major  Halle/  them  are 
was    sent  forward   with  several  companies  off  this  apprc 
regulars,  and  succeeded  in  procuring  the  surrenselings,  and 
der  of  a  few  Indiana,  who  were  put  to  death  nfJch  others 
the  perpetrators  of  the  massacre.     But  whethe«*i'tics. 
the  innocent  were  surrendered,  and   the  guiltj  One  word  r 
escaped,  is  a  question  I  am  unable  to  answerfom  Tcnnesi 
From  my  knowledge  of  the  Indian  character,  1- ™as''aere  w 
would  not  be  surprised  if,  in  this  instance  as  ify  the  white 
others,  they  had  recourse  to  vicarious  punish^f  that  occur 
ment— shielding  the  guilty  by  substituting  the»ut  between 
innocent.  irhitcs.    Thi 

Unless  such  means  arc  taken  as  General  Woo.^^oUect  that 
will  not  take — but  such  only  as  the  volunteers^y  lior^e  am 
will  take — to  put  an  end  to  these  outrages,  set'*  the  month 
tiemcnt  in  Oregon  Territory  will  be  retarded'**t  we  had  ( 
Already  thousands  of  acres,  once  cultivated  andftend,  Captii 
repaying  the  labors  of  the  husbandman  witl^*  charge  w 
abundant  harvests  have  been  laid  waste,  houses*'*^'''"  '-^^  ^'^' 
burnt,  and  property  destroyed.  The  settlements****  mortally 
west  of  the  Cascades  are  scattered  throughout*'^"  to  sa; 
the  Willamette,  Umpqua,  and  Rogue  river  val-"'**ty  to  pas 
leys,  and  along  the  coast  from  the  mouth  of  th«"^y'°^"^'^ 
Columbia  to  the  southern  border  of  the  Territory;?*""*'  ^^  ^^ 
and  many  families  have  located  cast  of  the  Caa-liwlifi^^s  wlii 
cades.  Scattered,  as  they  arc,  over  so  large  aJeh  soldier" 
district  of  country,  and  exposed,  as  they  are,  io'  ^hting  ma 
time  of  war,  will  any  man  be  hardy  enough  toJravewithou 


Tf 

f 


I 


9 


my  request  tluiy  that  they  liftvo  miulo  wnr  upon  th^f  Indinns, 
of  thi;  nmfl8aciigrel)yNiiliji.rtinj,'  th'ir  fiimilieH  tolln- tomnhawk 
tics  of  the  mimd  totlic  rtuini'S,for  monoy.  Do  you, sir,  believe 
tho  simple  eld*  people  of  Orej^on  rapulile  of  such  hnsenoHt. 
h  only  cliihlrtnd  inhutnanity?  Who  can  for  a  moment  liclieve 
lent  and  sorrovi*  ciuirfjo  made  upon  our  people,  •' that  they 
f  whiit  they  simve  made  war  upon  th(!  Indiana  for  the  purpose 
d  not  hear  thrrf dcpli  liug  the  Treasury?"  A  war  that  brings 
ith  tlie  rovoltiiieaih— horrible  death — upon  families,  destruction 

I  could  hear  iif  homes  and  property.  Believe  it  not,  sir!  They 
rs  of  this  HousjBOrt  to  no  such  means  for  pecuniary  gain;  they 
ess  orphans,  nwi  a  Christian  people;  they  love  their  families, 
iting  the  stornd  would  not  subject  one  of  them  to  the  toma- 
gs,  there  woulawk  for  all  the  money  in  the  Treasury. 

speak  here  tc  Mr.  BOYCE.  How  many  warriors  can  these 
speech  such  nottile  Indians  bring  into  the  field? 
;h  as,  I  pray  t  Mr.  LANE.  I  am  glad  that  I  am  asked  the 
e  speech  not  oiuestion.  In  my  remarks,  published  in  Satur- 
ns,  but  naturcay 's  Globe,  I  am  made  by  a  misprint  to  say,  that 
It  heart  of  thhf  number  is  tweniy-nine  thousand.  I  meant  to 
up,  as  with  ftjr  that  it  was  twenty  thousand.  There  are  fully 
hy  into  a  burniwt  number  in  Oregon  and  Washington.  They 
isolve  to  aveiigW  not  all  at  war  with  us,  and  we  are  thankful 
Its  of  outragcdMlt  they  are  not.  If  they  wore  united,  they 
lade   to  punisiould  sweep  olTthc  entire  settlements.    A  portion 

Major  Halle.'^  th<;m  are  friendly  to     s.     It  is  the  purpose 

companies  o^f  this  appropriation  to  preserve  their  friendly 
ing  the  surrenselings,  and  to  secure  amicable  relations  with 
put  to  death  niUch  others  as  may  not  have  joined  the  war 
.    But  whethefarties. 

!ind  the  guilt}  One  word  more,  and  I  have  done.  My  friend 
ble  to  answerfom  Tennessee  [Mr.  Ready]  read  an  account  of 
an  character,  I  masf-aere  which  is  said  to  have  been  perpetrated 

instance  as  ipy  the  whites.     Now,  one  word  of  explanation 

larious  punish'f  that  occurrence.     In  1853  a  general  war  broke 

ubstituting  the>ut  between  the   Rogue  river  Indians  and  the 

vhitcs.    Thatwas  brought  on  by  the  Indians.   I 

General  WooCCoUect  that,  on  receiving  the  news,  I  mounted 
the  volunteers^y  liorse  and  joined  the  troops,  and  on  the  24th 
!  outra"-es,  sct>f  t''*^  month  of  August  we  fought  the  last«battle 

II  be  retarded)**t  we  had  during  that  war.  In  that  battle  my 
cultivated  and"®*"''*  Captain  Alden,  while  leading  his  men  to 

bandman  witt^^  charge  with  that  impetuous  valor,  so  charac- 
wastc  houses*'^*^'^''  ^^  the  American  soldier,  fell,  severely  but 
'he  settlements^"*  mortally,  wounded.  It  is  due  to  Captain 
ed  throu»houi^^^"  to  say  (and  I  cannot  permit  this  oppor- 
)"-ue  river  val'^^ty  to  pass  without  bearing  my  humble  testi- 
mouth  of  th«"*"'y^o^ii3'^'^"'^)  th'it,  though  educated  at  West 
"the Territory :?<^nt,  h*^  combines  in  the  highest  degree  the 
1st  of  the  Cas-iaalitit's  which  distinguish  the  American  "citi- 
.•er  so  large  aseil  soldier"  from  the  military  automatons,  the 
as  they  are,  io*  ^hting  machines"  of  this  and  all  other  nations, 
rdy  enough  to^rave  without  rashness,  accomplished,  a  thorough 


master  of  tactics,  as  taught  in  tho  snliools,  he  hns 
sufHcient  talent  not  to  be  trammeled  by  the  anti- 
quated idias  embodied  in  the  moldy  volumes 
which  |)loddii  g  dullness  and  octogenarian  imbe- 
cility are  wont  to  consult,  as  conuiining  ail  the 
mysteries  of  the  military  art.  In  addition  to  these 
qualities,  his  warmth  of  heart  and  ever  genial 
flow  of  spirits  endear  him  to  his  soldiers,  as  hii 
valor  and  conduct  inspire  them  with  confidence 
in  him  as  a  lead-  .  I  rejoice  that  to  the  aggregate 
of  mischief  done  by  the  Indians  in  Oregon  they 
have  not  added  that  of  destroying  the  life  of  this 
brave  and  valuable  officer. 

Rut  to  proceed.  The  enemy  asked  for  a  talk. 
I  entertained  their  application,  and  ordered  the 
talk;  and  tho  result  was,  wo  made  a  peace.  I 
then  disbanded  my  troops  for  the  purpose  of  pre- 
venting further  expense,  which  was  every  hour 
accruing.  In  this  I  was  sustui.'  '  by  the  people, 
who  did  not,  and  never  have  desii'  !  that  troops 
should  continue  under  arms  lon,";ei  than  was  ab- 
solutely necessary  for  the  purposes  of  defense 
and  protection.  A  few  of  tic  bands  would  not 
come  in  and  make  peace,  and  they  have  been 
li.aking  war  upon  the  whites  ever  since.  Last 
summer  they  commenced  hostilities  against  our 
people  as  they  were  going  to  or  returning  from 
California,  Upon  information  of  this  outbreak 
being  received  at  Jacksonville,  Major  Lupton 
raised  a  company,  and  proceeded  to  the  scene  of 
trouble.  He  there  found  the  bodies  of  the  m"ar- 
dered,  and  pursued  the  trail  of  the  perpetrators  to 
their  encampment  on  Butte  Creek.  These  Indiana 
did  not  belong  to  that  portion  of  the  tribe  who 
had  made  peace;  or  if  they  did,  they  had  violated 
their  treaty  stipulations.  He  found  stolen  prop- 
erty in  their  hands.  A  fight  ensued,  in  which 
the  Major  himself  was  killed,  and  many  of  the 
Indians  were  slain.  They  were  not  peaceable, 
I  inoffensive  people,  as  has  boon  stated  by  some  of 
the  reports  put  in  circulation,  but  a  murdering, 
thieving  set,  who  were  in  the  habit  of  waylaying 
on  the  road,  and  robbing  and  killing,  the  unwary 
traveler. 

The  Indians  which  were  placed  upon  the  reserve 
near  Port  Lane  were  under  the  care  of  an  agent 
who  had  done  all  in  his  power  to  maintain  friendly 
relations,  and  was  ably  seconded  by  an  able  and 
gallant  officer  of  the  Army,  Captain  A.  J.  Smith, 
in  command  of  the  fort.  A  portion  of  these  In- 
dians have  not  since  made  war  upon  the  whites, 
and  have  not  joined  the  war  party.  The  bands 
which  did  not  come  into  the  peace  terms  have 


10 


been  waging  war  ever  since,  and  Major  Lupton 
was  right  in  punishing  thera. 

Now,  let  me  give  you  an  idea  of  the  character 
of  these  Indians,  thiirmode  of  warfare,  and  their 
ability  to  cope  with  our  forces.  Soon  after  the 
massacre  of  our  people,  on  the  8th  or  »:h  of  Oc- 
tober, Captain  A.  J.  Smith,  of  the  army,  attacked 
the  Indians  in  their  position,  with  about  three 
hundred  and  fifty  mm.  The  Indians  had  about 
the  same  number.  He  fought  them  from  daylight 
until  dark,  but  he  was  not  able  to  dislodge  them; 
and  at  last  was  obliged  to  fall  back, !  -aving  them 
in  their  position;  and  the  same  Indians,  with  rein- 
forcements from  other  bands,  have  since  attacked 
the  settlements  and  destroyed  many  families;  and 
they  will  continue  to  do  so  until  they  are  met  with 
a  sufficient  force  to  subdue  them.  That  is  the  only 
way  to  secure  peace  with  the  Indians. 

I  will  here  read,  for  the  information  of  the 
House,  an  extract  from  the  New  York  Tribune, 
presenting  a  graphic,  but  truthful,  sketch  of  the 
condition  of  things  existing  in  a  portion  of  Ore- 
gon; and  I  will  ask  the  apologists  of  General 
Wool,  after  reading  this,  whether  a  state  of  war 
exists  in  the  Territory,  whether  it  was  provoked 
by  the  aggressions  of  the  whites,  and  what  plea 
they^can  offer  in  defense  of  the  conduct  of  Gen- 
eral Wool  in  leaving  the  Territory  a  prey  to 
Indian  rapacity'and  outrage?  Understand  me, 
sir,  I  am  not  the  accusicrof  Grencral  Wool.  The 
people  of  Oregon  are  his  accusers,  I  will  not 
say  that  he  stands  in  the  attitude  of  Hastings, 
when  accused  by  the  people  of  India  of  oppres- 
sion and  corruption  in  office;  but  I  will  say  that 
he  stands  arraigned  before  the  great  tribunal  of 
public  opinion;  and,  as  one  who  was  once  his 
comrade  in  arms,  one  who  followed  where  he 
led,  I  sincerely  hope  that  no  severer  verdict  may 
be  pronounced  against  him  than  that  he  has 
committed  an  error  of  judgment.  But  here  is  the 
extract: 

"  Yesteniay  (Sunday)  morning  we  wore  favorod  with 
the  perusal  of  a  letter  written  l<y  Rulxrl  Sniilli,  a  settler 
up  tlie  coast,  to  iMr.  Miller,  liviiia  in  the  neichhnrhood  of 
Whalesliead,  iaforiiiiiig  the  latter  th.-it  on  the  22d  February, 
While  William  Hi  n-^ly  and  ^Ir.  Xolan  were  driving  some 
horses  toward  Uouue  river,  two  i-iuits  were  flred  at  them  by 
Pistol  river  Indians.  Mr.  Hensly  had  two  of  his  flneers 
•hot  off,  besides  receiving  several  buck-shot  wounds  in  his 
face.    The  .horses  fell  into  the  bandn  of  the  Indians. 

"The  letter  also  contains  a  retpii-st  to  urge  forward  from 
Crescent  City  any  volunteers  that  may  have  Ijcen  enlisted. 

"From  F.  H.  Pratt,  Esq.,  a  resident  at  (he  mouth  of 
Eogue  river,  who  arrived  last  night  in  the  schooner  Gold 
Beach,  we  received  the  startling  news  that  the  Indians  in 
that  district  have  united  with  a  pany  of  tliu  hostile  Indians 


above,  and  coinmcnced  a  war  of  extermination  against^,   ,i,^„p   ^ 
white  settlers.  r  settlers  fi 

"  The  station  at  Big  Bend,  some  fifteen  miles  up  the  "'l/u  ,        '■  i 
having  been  abondonnd  several  weeks  previous,  the  Indi;^ 
made  a  sudden  attack  on  Saturday  morning,  February  liff***^  • 
upon  the  farms  about  four  miles  above  the  mouth,  wIi^Ikui  this 
somu  ten  or  twelve  men  of  Captain  Poland's  companyM^ulatioii  ( 
volunteers  were  encamped,  the  remainder  of  the  compiivt^rcd.     N 
being  abMent,  attending  a  ball  on  tlie  39d,  at  the  mouthiltaiis  occu 
Rogue  river.  r  was  thei 

"The  fight  is  stated  to  have  lasted  nearly  the  whole mgress  h;i( 
Saturday,  and  but  few  of  the  whites  escaped  to  tell  i  t£e  Iiuliaii 
story.    The  farmers  were  all  killed.  >,  over  this 

"  It  is  supi)0scd  there  are  now  about  three  hundred  ti^  ^Jgo  pass 
tile  Indians  in  the  field,  including  those  from  Grave  ;■  locate  clain 
Galaise  creek  and  the  Big  Meadows.  They  ore  led  tyicade  niou 
Canada  Indian,  named  Enos,  who  was  formerly  a  favorjgj.gjj  (^^  ij, 
guide  for  Colonel  Fremont  in  his  expedition.  dian   title   1 

"  List  of  JftHci.— Captain  Ben  Wright,  H.  Braun,  E.  '^*  bitter  c 
Howe,  Mr.  Wagoner,  Barney  Castle,  George  McClusi,*^  rpi 

Mr.  Lara,  W.R.  Tullu.s,  Captain  John  Poland,  Mr.  Siiii!^'^" 
Mr.  Seaman,  Mr,  Warner,  John  Geisell  and  three  childr 


alias  were  a 
,ld8  to  tlie  C 


P.  McCollough,  S.  Heidrick,  Joseph  Serroc  and  two  soe 

"  Besides  three  or  four,  names  unknown,  Mrs.  Gei-^J?^  rcser\  i 
and  daughter  are  prisoners,  and  in  the  hands  of  the  Mict^  they  ass 
band  of  Indians,  about  eigiit  miles  up  the  river.  Dr.  M.*4*  '10  settle 
White  escaped  by  jumping  into  Yuca  creek,  and  secrci?!*  the  rcas 
himself  under  a  pile  of  drift-wood,  remaining  there  fore  Governnn 
hour  and  a  half,  and  until  the  Indians  had  given  upt'tinic  was 
search."  Ople  of  tlii.s 

I  will  say  no  more  upon  this  subject,  but  b.^'^'^y  .    ' 
,     „         '  ,  .  .    .  ,    .tifopriation 

the  House  to  pass  this  appropriation,  so  that*|LJ^j„j  ^^ 

may  go  out  under  the  direction  of  '>io  Presidi^otiate  thei 

of  the  United  States,  for  the  purpose  of  maintaWs  in  Dec 

ing  the  friendly  disposition  which  now  exis"i""f"  i?^^ 

°  ~   ,        ;       ■      ,      r.,      .  I  the  Indiar 

among  many  of  the  tribes  m  that  Territory,  aiaj^dians  at 

to  give  security  to  the  settlements,  and  safety  lil  January 

the  women  and  children  whose  lives  are  now^tjfj  Esq.,  e 

J  certain  the 

extreme  jeopardy.  e  visited  tlu 

''alias,  and  tl 

NOTE.  id  they  wci 

Washington,  ^pril  7,  1856. "ds.     Kami 

Since  the  delivery  of  my  speech  in  the  Houi'"°''  ^^^^^ 
1  the  31st  ultimo,  I  have  noticed  in  the  Uni('\;*'.°""  j /[ 
extracts  from  the  speech  of  Governor  Stevens, -'^^  '^'  rp? 
Washington  Territory,  to  the  Legislative  Asset  5'f"  ",•  «   l 
bly  of  that  Territory,  m  relation  to  Indian  troubl®    ff  . '"^  /^j 
on  our  coast.     The  Governor  has  been  charet""^  ,'^'  .'^^'f 
with  the  duty  of  holding  treaties  with  the  India'®^^  ^V*'||j  1 
for  the  purchase  of  their  lands;  is  also  the  supt  .      jv'!'\'i!J^ 
intendent  of  Indian  affairs  for  that  Territory,*^  '.  ^  ■ 
well  acquainted  with  them,  and  is  agontlemaii?»  •?  •   J'  ^^ 
strict  integrity.     His  speech  contains  importa"     •  ,' •      *p 
history,  and  is  hereto  appended.  Ickas'an'd  il 

oit  joy  and 


on 


,at  personal! 


GoTemor  Stevena'a  Bfeasagc. 

Fellow- Citizens  of  the  Legislative  Assembly  of  i  .  -    j^j^      , 
Territory  of  Washingtnn  :  ^t  w  as'^  the 

I  have  taken  the  liberty  of  departing  from  tlh«  record  oi 
usual  custom  of  delivering  a  written   inessaj.'jeht  and  dii 
This  arises  from  the  exigencies  of  the  case.      (jdl  there 
did  not  seem  necessary  to  follow  the  otiqucigjffilty,  hum 
usual  in  such  cases,  if  by  doing  so  time  shoa^ffernment 
be  lost  or  public  business  deferred.  in*  of  the  a 

We  are,  fellow-citizens,  and  have  been  for  i;'  in  intellig 


11 


!rininaUono8a.nst^j  throe  months,  cngagod  in  an  Indian  war.: 
een  miles  up  the  rir'"  8i;"I<^rs,from  the  Cowlitz  river  to  the  Sound, ' 
.previous, the Imlii'g  *"-'f^n  o'^^'S'-'d  to  abandon  tht-ir  claims  to  live  j 
lorning,  February]^'''^  •  ] 

>ve  the  mouth,  wliWhiui  this  Torritory  was  organized,  there  was^ 
Poland's  companjtopuiiuiun  of  about  four  thousand  souls,  widoly 
indorof  the  compm^ercd.     No  treaties  had  been  made  with  the 
23*1,  Btlhemouihiians  occupying  tlie  lands  of  this  Territory, 
r  was  there,  ju-actically,  an  intercourse  law. 
nearly  the  whole ,ngrcss  had,  by  law,  extended   the  provisions 
9  escaped  to  tell ;  the  Indian-intercourse  act,  so  far  as  applica- 
;,  over  this  Territory  and  Oregon.    Congress 
It  three  hundred  h  J  also  passed  a  donation  law,  inviting  settlers 
lose  from  Grave  qocate  claims,  first  west,  and  thin  east',  of  the 
i.    They  are  led  l^gcade  mountains,  and  public  surveys  had  been 
as  formerly  a  favoijerpj  to  be  made  over  this  domain;  but  the 
Edition.  jjj       jjj^jg  ]j,jj  ,^Q^  jjpj,^  extinguished.     This 

gilt,  H.  Brann,E.  -  -  -  .   .         »  . 

,  George  McCliisi, 
n  Poland.  Mr.  Sin: 


18  a  bitter  cause  of  complaint  on  the  part  of  the 
"dians.    The  Yakimas,  Cayuses,  and  Walla- 


11  1  uiuiiu.  iTir.  c:'iii>   ,%  .  »  i       :         .•  ii*         ^i      • 

3ll  and  three ohildr  '"^'^^  were  anxious  to  make  treaties,  selling  their 
!erroc  and  two  soF^'^'  ^^  t'l'-'  tiDveriiment,  and  securing  to  them- 
iknown  Mrs.  GeiJ^*'^  reservations  for  their  permAiiont  homes; 
hands  of  the  Mifi.r4'Ji''y  asserted  that  until  such  treaties  were  , 
the  river.  Dr.  M*^  »o  settlers  should  come  among  them.  These 
ereck,  and  secroi?**  the  rea.soiis  of  public  policy  which  induced 
maining  there  fore  Government  to  enter  into  these  treaties,  and 
lis  had  given  up » time  was  lost  in  consummating  them.     The 

ople  of  this  Territory  urged  uixm  Congress  the 

I  subject  but  b^^'^'ty  ^^  ^'^"^''  ^  policy,  and  Congress  made 

.    .         '     jj,    'i>fopriation  to  carry  out  their  wishes.     It  fell 

nation,  so  that  j^jy  1,,^^  j^  1^^  appointed  the  commissioner  to 

I  of  'bo  Presidi|fotiate  these  treaties.     I  entered  upon  those 

pose  of  maintaiaofs  in  December,  a  year  ago;  and  durin^  that 

/■hich  now  exis*'  Uu;  following  month  successfully  treated  with 

_,      ,  I  the  Indians  upon  the  Sound,  the  straits,  and 

lat  Territory,  ayndians  at  Cape  Flattery.  i 

Its,  and  safety  In  January,  a  year  ago,  I  dispatched  James 

lives  are  now^^ys  Esq.,  east  of  the  Cascade  mountains,  to 

certain  the  feelings  and  views  of  the  Indians. 

e  visited  the  Yakimas,  the  Cayuses,  the  Walfa- 
•  ''alias,  and  the  Nez  Perces  in  their  own  country, 

id  they  were  desirous  to  treat  and  sell  their 
,  ^pril  7,  1856.™ds.  Kamiakin  advisi:d  the  tribes  to  meet  in 
)ch  in  the  Hou""*^''  ''^^  Walla-Walla,  saying  that  that  was  their 
'ed  in  the  Uni(^  council  ground.  The  council  was  convened, 
•crnor  Stevens  l^^^ted  fourteen  days.  All  those  tribes  were  , 
cgislative  Ass>«f»^-  .  ^^'^  greatest  care  was  taken  to  explain 
to  Indian  troubl«  ^f^'^'^'^^'  .-^"'l  1|.«  ".''Jf-ts  of  them  and  to  se- 
has  been  chare,""f  ^'"'  '"""'  *^^'"?'^  '"terpreters.  Three  inter- 
swiththelndin^^  ^^  ^^'"^'""^  ])rovided  for  each  language — one  to 
is  also  the  sunl*  *^  Principal  interpreter,  the  other  two  to  cor- 
liat  T^rrito  At  tlu>  close  of  that  council  such  expres- 

is  a  gentleman '^"?."^i'^y  '''"^  thankfnlness  I  have  never  seen  ; 

ntains  import.^'"*?'  ''^   %  ""  S^'''"''  '^'-''''  T''  ^'  I'-'r 

'■        ainJakin,  reu-peu-mox-mox,  the  voung  chief 

,ickas,and  the  Lawyer,  all  personal!/  expressed 

Tesgace.  eii^  joy  and  satisfaction.     Kamiakin  asserted, 

a        LI      ^  ■•lit  personally  hi;  was  indiiferent  about  'he  treaty; 

I  -^ssemftiy  of  (^j  ^^  ,,i^  p^.,j^,,,,  ^,1  ^^.^^„^,,j  j^  ,„.  ^jj,.  f,^,.  ■^^  ^,(d 

'  '"'■  •  at  was  the  reason  he  assented  to  the  treaty, 

parting  from  t'rh«  record  of  that  council  was  made  up  by  Intel-' 
vritten  inessagreht  and  dispassionate  men,  and  the  speeches 
I  of  the  case.  ^1  there  made  are  recordi.'d  verlialim.  The 
ow  the  etiquctgfctfty,  humanity,  and  justice  of  the  national 
g  so  time  shou-tftfernment  are  there  signally  exhibited;  and 
ed.  jn«  of  the  actors  therein  .leed  fear  tlie  criticism 

lavo  been  for  t'  &n  intelligent  comuiuiiity,  nor  the  supervision  ^ 


of  intelligent  superiors.  By  these  treaties,  had 
the  Indians  lieen  faithful  to  them,  the  question,  as 
to  whether  the  Indian  tribes  of  this  Territory  can 
become  civilized  and  Christianized  beings,  would 
have  been  determined  practically,  and  as  to 
whether  the  intervention  of  an  Indian  service  for 
the  supervision  of  the  Indians  might  not  become 
nenssary  in  consequence  of  the  Indians  being 
al)le  to  govern  themselves.  This  spirit  lies  at  thiB 
basis  of  all  the  treaties  made  in  this  Territory. 

Another  council  followed,  in  which  three  con- 
siderable tribes  were  convened ,  which  lasted  ei^ht 
dayjs — the  Indians,  at  the  close,  again  expressing 
the  utmost  joy  and  satisfaction.  It  is  due  to 
gentlemen  of  the  Legislative  Assembly  to  make 
this  frank  and  full  statement.  The  printed  record 
will  show  that  the  authorities  and  the  people  of 
this  Territory  have  nothing  to  blush  for — nothing 
to  fear  in  the  judgment  of  impartial  men,  no'W 
living,  nor  the  rebuke  of  posterity. 

As  to  the  causes  of  this  war,  it  is  not  a  question 
necessary  to  dwell  upon.  It  has  been  conclusively 
demonstrated  that  it  has  been  plotting  for  at  least 
two  or  three  years.  I  am  frank  to  admit  that  had 
I  known,  when  the  council  at  Walla- Walla  was 
convened,  what  I  learned  afterwards,  I  should 
not  have  convened  that  council.  I  learned  from 
one  of  the  fathers  some  days  after  it  had  com- 
menced, and  I  was  satisfied  that  his  information 
was  correct,  from  the  deportment  of  several  of 
the  principal  chiefs,  that  many  of  the  Indians 
came  to  that  council  with  hostile  feelings.  But 
when  I  left  Walla- Walla  I  thought  that  by  the 
treaty  such  feelings  were  entirely  assuaged — that 
those  who  were  once  for  war  were  now  for  peace. 

It  is  difficult  to  see  how  such  a  combination 
should  have  existed  and  not  have  been  known; 
and  yet  it  extended  from  the  Sound  to  the  Ump- 
qua — from  one  side  to  the  other  of  the  Cascade 
mountains. 

Fellow-citizens!  war  has  existed  for  three 
months,  and  still  exists;  a  war  entered  into  by 
these  Indians  without  cause;  a  war  having  not  its 
origin  in  these  treaties,  nor  in  the  bad  conduct 
of  our  people.  It  originated  in  the  native  intelli- 
gen'ie  of  restless  Indians,  who,  foreseeing  destiny 
against  them,  that  the  wliite  man  was  moving 
upon  them,  determined  that-it  must  be  met  and 
resisted  by  arms.  We  may  sympathize  with 
such  a  manlj  feeling,  but  in  view  of  it  we  have 
high  duties. 

I  will  not  dwell  upon  the  efforts  made;  the  false 
reports  circulated,  (listorting  the  proceedings  of 
these  councils;  the  stories  of  killing  friendly  In- 
dians, which  those  hostile  have  resorted  to,  to 
spread  hostility.  The  war  exists;  the  question 
is,  how  shall  it  be  met?  There  are  duties  to  be 
discharged — difficulties  to  be  grappled  with.  The 
war  must  be  vigorously  prosecuted  now.  Seed 
time  is  coming,  and  the  fanner  should  be  at  hia 
plow  in  the  field.  Tiie  summer  is  coming. 
The  snows  will  melt  in  your  mountain  passes. 
It  seems  to  me  the  warm  season  is  not  the  time 
for  operations.  Daylight  is  breaking  upon  us. 
'Che  gloom  which  for  a  time  hung  over  us  is  giv- 
ing way.  There  has  been  great  energy  displayed 
in  handling  the  whole  question— judgment  and 


12 


energy  in  driving  back,  into  a  comparatively  small 
region  of  country,  the  hostile  Indians,  and  in 
keeping  the  great  body  of  the  Indians  entirely 
friendly. 

The  work  remaining  to  be  done  is  compara- 
tively small.  It  is  my  opinion  that  it  would  be 
expedient  forthwith  to  raise  a  force  of  three  hun- 
dred men,  from  the  Sound,  to  push  into  the  In- 
dian country,  build  a  depot,  and  vigorously  oper- 
ate against  the  Indians  in  this  quarter;  and  nearly 
the  same  force  should  be  raised  on  the  Columbia 
river,  to  prosecute  the  M'^ar  cast  of  the  Cascade 
mountains.  This  last  would  have  a  vast  influence 
upon  the  operations  in  this  section.     It  would 

Ereventreinforcementsfromeithcr  side  joining  the 
ands  on  the  other  side,  and  would  cftectually 
crush  both.  But  what  is  more  important  would 
be  the  influence  upon  the  numerous  tribes  not  yet 
broken  out  into  hostility.  It  is  due  to  you  to 
state  what  experience  in  traveling  through  the 
Indian  countiy  has  taught  me.  There  is  a  sur- 
prising feeling  of  uneasiness  among  all  the  tribes 
who  have  not  broken  out,  except  alone  theNez 
Perces.  These  tribes  may  be  led  into  war  if  delay 
attends  our  operations. 

I  regret  on  this  occasion  to  be  compelled  to 
criticise  the  official  acts  of  a  gallant  and  war-worn 
veteran,  one  whose  name  has  been  on  the  his- 
toric rolls  of  the  country  for  nearly  half  a  century. 
But  it  is  due  to  the  people  and  the  authorities 
of  the  Territory  of  Washington,  that  the  facts 
should  appear  and  be  known  to  the  national 
Government,  Governor  Mason,  in  obedience  to 
the  requisition  of  the  commanding  officer  of  the 
United  States  forces  upon  the  Columbia  river, 
raised  two  companies  of  volunteers  of  excellent 
material.  They  were  well  mounted,  and  ready 
for  the  field.  Another  company  was  raised  to 
protect  the  commissioner  appointed  by  the  Pres- 
ident of  the  United  Slates,  to  make  treaties  with 
the  Indian  tribes  in  the  interior  of  the  continent. 
These  troops  were  disbanded, were  brought  down 
into  garrison,  and  the  regulars  were  koj)t  in  gar- 
rison. And  there  stands  out  the  broad  fact,  that 
seven  hundred  Indians  in  the  Walla-Walla  valley 
were  met  and  defeated  by  volunteers  when  the 
regulars  were  in  garrison.  The  President's  com- 
missioner, a  high  functionary,  deriving  his  pow- 
ers from  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and 
not  from  any  Department,  was  left  without  pro- 
tection, and  the  troops  raised  to  protect  him. 
Major  General  Wool  thought  proper  to  disband 
antf  bring  into  garrison.  Th-t  officer  acted  un- 
questionably from  a  sense  of  uuty.  His  reputa- 
tion as  a  gallant  soldier,  his  long  and  valuable 
services  to  the  country,  cannot  be  disputed.  I  do 
not  wish  to  impugn  iiis  motives.  I  only  desire 
to  submit  facts  for  the  judgment  of  superiors  at 
home. 

I  learn  from  good  authority  that  this  plan  of 
operations  is  to  delay  till  spring — probably  untill 
May.  It  is  well  known  by  those  who  have  ex- 
perience and  knowledge  of  their  country,  that 
February  and  March  are  the  best  months  for  the 
prosecution  of  this  war.  I  think  it  due  to  ihe 
Legislative  Assembly  to  state  the  reasons  why 
all  voyageurs  and  gentlemen  of  experience  in 


,  these  matters  give  it  as  their  opinion  that  novjuonlv  sli 

•  the  proper  time  for  action.    There  is  a  vast  [Vjpcp  inforni 

between  the  Cascade  and  Bitter  Root  mountagn  iU-dispc 

i  The  Columbia,  Snake,  Clear  Water,  and  S3ulj  these 

kane  rivers  are  to  be  crossed.     The  snow  is  ngj,    xinv 

a  few  inches  deep,  and  lasts  but  a  short  tiiiiij  put  to  d 

seldom  over  a  fortnight.     There  is  Vjut  one  fibmit  uncn 

tinuous  period  of  cold  weather,  and  that  pi  roiency  of  i 

has  now  passed.     The  mountain  passe.s  are;ould  sutler 

closed  up  with  snows,  which  can  only  be  solvations uik 

by  snow-shoes.     For  these  reasons  the  Indijars  tlu;  p( 

'cannot  escape,   should  vigorous   oporations,cisive,  en<- 

i  made.    On  tnese  plains  our  forces   can  opciay  be  gran 

well.  There  is  abundant  fuel  for  camps,  grass  Let  not  o 

animals,  and  the  rivers  are  low.  Thclndiansni  abidins 

be  struck  now.     Bi'",  if  we  delay,  the  roots  ir  Teiritor 

fish  will  abound,  supplying  the  Indians  with  frrht. 

;  The  snows  will  melt,  and  the  mountain-pas^ — 

:  will  allow  them  hiding-places.   It  is  my  opin: 

I  if  operations  are  deferred  till  summer,  they  n, 

:  be  deferred  till  winter  again. 

j      What  eflTect   would   it  have   on   the   Son 

should  nothing  be  done  until  May  or  June?  1 

!  whole  industrial   community  would  be  ruii, 

the  Sound  paralyzed;  the  husbandman  woult 

kept  in  a  state  of  suspense  by  ruinoi-s  of  war, 

'  could  not  adhere  to  his  pursuits;  fields  would 

be  tilled,  and  the  Territory  would  starve  out. 

I  am  of  the  opinion  that  vigorous  operati 

I  should  be  prosecuted  on  both  sides  of  the  C 

I  cade  mountains.     Whenever  it  is  practicab!' 

:  expedient,  it  is  best  that  volunteers  should 

I  mustered    into  the    United    States  service. 

:  should  go  to  the  authorities  at  home  that  we 

deavored  to  cooperate  with  the  regular  serv 

i  But  there  has  been  a  breach  of  faith.    Tro 

\  mustered  into  service  were  disbanded,  in  viola, 

':  of  a  positive  understanding;  and  it  is  now  pn 

that  the  authorities  of  this  Territory  should  c 

!  difct  the  movements  of  their  own  troops — co 

■  crating  with  the  regulars  where  such  co6p> 

i  tions  can  be  effective.     I  therefore  do  not  tli     i 

that  the  volunteers  of  this  Territory  should     't^ 

',  mustered  into  the  United  States  service.    I 

:  ready  to  take  the  responsibility  of  raising  tli 

:  independent  of  that  service,  and  it  is  due  to 

,  Territory  and  to  myself  that  the  reasons  for 

suming  it  should  go   to   the  President  and 

Departments  at  Washington. 

'      The  spirit  of  prosecuting  this  war  should  h 

accomplish  a  lasting  peace — not  to  make  treat 

but  to  punish  their  violation. 

'      Gentlemen  of  the  legislative  assembly,  I  li 

done  my  duty.     Itwas  a  jileasant  feeling  thni 

I  uated  me  on  my  mission,  in  making  these  treat      * 

;  to  think  I  was  doing  something  to  civilize  ; 

render  the  condition  of  the  Indian  happier; ;     » 

I  while  justice  and  mercy  should  characterize 

acts  of  our  Government,  there  should  be  no  w      « 

ness — noimbdcility.  In  nations,  as  well  as  indi 

uals,  we  may  apply  the  precept — a  man  who 

deceived  youonceshould  not  again  be  trusted.  . 

the  blow  strike  where  it  is  deserved.     I  am 

posed  to  any  treaties;  I  shall  oppose  any  treat, 

with  these  hostile  bands.    I  will  protest  agaW 

any  and  all  treaties  made  with  them — nothing 

death  is  a  meet  punishment  for  theirperfidy — tl 


13 


opinion  that  novegonly  should  pay  the  forfeit.  A  friendly  Ncz 
ihc'rc  is  a  vast  fitco  iiiforniod  me  that  in  the  Cayuse  tribe  ninc- 
ter  Root  mountflgij  iH-disposed  persons  caused  all  the  trouble. 
r  Water,  and  Sjuld  those  be  punished,  the  tribe  could  be  gov- 

•  The  snow  is  ned.  These  turbulent  persons  should  be  seized 
but  a  short  tini,t|  put  to  death.  The  tribes  now  at  war  must 
lere  is  but  one  fibmit  unconditionally  to  the  justice,  mercy,  and 
er,  and  that  peroiency  of  our  Government.  The  guilty  ones 
itain  passes  arCiOuld  suffer,  aud  the  riimainder  placed  upon  res- 
1  can  only  be  scuvations  under  tlie  eye  of  the  military.  In  a  few 
reasons  the  Indiiars  the  policy  ini<^ht  be  changed.  By  such  a 
rous  opnration.«,cisive,  eiiorg;etic,  and  firm  course,  the  aifficulty 
forces   can  opeiay  be  grappled  with,  and  peace  res  torn  1. 

for  camps,  grass  Let  not  our  hearts  be  discourageu.  I  have 
'.  The  Indians  III  abiding  confidence  in  the  future  destiny  of 
ielay,  the  roots  ir  Territory.  Gloom  must  give  way  to  sun- 
e  Indians  with  frrht. 

he  mountain-pn^ - 

1.   It  is  my  opin; 
summer,  they  n, 

ve  on  the  Son 
May  or  June?  1 

•  would  be  ruii 
sbandman  woul(i 
rumors  of  war, 
its;  fields  would 
ould  starve  out, 
vigorous  operati 
h  sides  of  the  C 

it  is  practicabl" 
lunteers  should 
States  service, 
t  home  that  we 
he  regular  serv 

of  faith.  Tro 
banded,  in  viola; 
nd  it  is  now  pn 
rritory  should  c 
own  troops — co 
lerc  such  coop' 
reforc  do  not  tli 
erritory  should 
ites  service.  I 
ty  of  raising  tli 
nd  it  is  due  to 
the  reasons  for 
President  and 

is  war  should  li^ 
ot  to  make  treat 

^  assembly,  I  li  *        . 

ant  feeling  thni 

king  these  treat 

ing  to  civilize  ; 

idian  happier; : 

Id  characterize 

should  be  no  \\i 

3,aswellasindi 

it — a  man  who 

;ain  be  trusted,  i 

served.     I  am 

)ppose  any  tren 

irill  protest  nga:     , 

them — nothing 

their  perfidy — il 


Let  us  never  lose  sight  of  the  resources,  capa- 
cities, and  natural  advantages  of  the  Territory  of 
Washington.  We  have  an  interior  soon  to  be 
filled  up  with  settlements.  Gold,  in  considerable 
quantities,  has  been  discovered  in  the  northern 
part  of  that  interior.  There  are  fine  grazing 
tracts  and  rich  agricultural  valleys;  and  that  in- 
terior will  fill  tin  when  these  Indian  difficulties 
are  at  an  end.  Then,  too,  will  the  Sound  resume 
its  prosperity.  Gather  heart,  then,  fellow-citi- 
zens; do  not  now  talk  of  leavint  us  in  our  hour 
of  adversity;  but  stay  till  the  shade  of  gloom  is 
lifted,  and  await  that  destiny  to  be  fulfilled.  Let 
us  all  put  hands  together  and  rescue  the  Territory 
from  its  present  difficulties,  so  that  we  all  may 
feel  that  we  had  done  our  whole  duty  in  the 
present  exigency. 


